McDuffie Introduces Bill to Support Small Businesses Suffering Financial Distress from District Infrastructure Projects The bill would provide immediate relief for qualifying small businesses including those impacted by the DC Water Northeast Boundary Tunnel construction at 4th Street NE and Rhode Island Avenue NE; as well as businesses impacted by Monroe Street NE bridge reconstruction Washington, DC – Today, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chair Pro Tempore and Chair of the Committee on Business and Economic Development, introduced The Small and Certified Business Enterprise Development and Assistance Emergency Amendment Act of 2019. These pieces of legislation would provide emergency financial assistance to eligible small businesses within 500 feet of construction on District-owned or financed infrastructure. Small business owners would have to be able to demonstrate loss of revenue that leads to…

Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie issued the following statement on the Rhode Island Avenue Tax Increment Financing Act of 2018, which is scheduled for a second and final on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. "I support the Rhode Island Avenue (RIA) Tax Increment Financing Act of 2018 [B22-0986] because it brings needed economic investment to Rhode Island Avenue NE and Ward 5, the project has a high percentage of affordable housing units, and it protects current residents from displacement. The RIA project includes about three times the number of affordable housing units when compared to other commensurate projects in D.C. (24% of units in this project are affordable, IZ requires 8-10%) and, importantly, many of these units are for extremely low-income renters making 0-30% of Area Median Income. Further, it prevents displacement of…

On Thursday, January 25, at 9:30 AM the D.C. Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety will hold a hearing on Councilmember McDuffie's Drug-Related Nuisance Abatement Act of 2017 [B22-0189]. This legislation expands current law to permit civil actions against problem tenants who are complicit in allowing drug, firearm, and prostitution-related activity in their home or place of business. Current law allows action against owners of commercial property, but not their tenants. This legislation is the direct result of a suggestion made by Ward 5 resident Verna Clayborne at the Ward 5 Emergency Public Safety meeting hosted by Councilmember McDuffie on March 7, 2017. Ms. Clayborne and the Franklin Street Area Neighborhood Association residents live in the Brookland neighborhood, behind a small retail shopping center at Rhode Island Avenue…

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Washington, DC – Today, Councilmember McDuffie, Ward 5, introduced legislation to close a gap in current drug-related nuisance abatement law that was brought to light at his recent Ward 5 Emergency Public Safety meeting held on March 7, 2017. Drug-Related Nuisance Abatement Amendment Act of 2017 [B22-0189] This legislation expands current law to permit civil actions against problem tenants who are complicit in allowing drug, firearm, and prostitution-related activity in their home or place of business. Current law allows action against owners of commercial property, but not their tenants. This legislation is the direct result of a suggestion made by Ward 5 resident Verna Clayborne at the Ward 5 Emergency Public Safety meeting hosted by Councilmember McDuffie on March 7, 2017. Ms. Clayborne…

MEDIA ADVISORY Monday, March 20 - 8:00 AM For Immediate Release: Friday, March 17, 2017 Download a PDF of this release here Councilmember McDuffie and Dignitaries Celebrate First Day of New G9 Bus Route on Rhode Island Avenue with ‘Inaugural Ride’ Washington, D.C. – On Monday, March 20, 2017, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5) will join dignitaries, neighbors, and community leaders on an Inaugural Ride of the new G9 MetroExtra Bus Route. After a brief speaking program, the public is invited to board the bus and ride downtown with Councilmember McDuffie. The new G9 MetroExtra Bus Route begins service after Councilmember McDuffie secured the funds to start the route in the fiscal year 2017 District of Columbia budget that the Council approved in June 2016. After the funds became…